Roller-bearing.



war; was ma v- U a PATENTED AUG. 14, 1906.

A. E. PUTNAM.

ROLLER BEARING.

APPLIOATIQN FILED NOV. 21, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED AUG. 14, 1906. A. B. PUTNAM.

ROLLER BEARING.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 21.-1 sos.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1n: Nouns Pen-as cm, wlsumuwu o UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

ALFRED E. PUTNAM, OF SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ROLLER-BEARING.

Patented Aug. 14, 1906.

Application filed November 21, 1905 Serial No. 288,479.

ed certain new and useful Improvements in' Roller-Bearings; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in roller-bearings; and the objectof-my invention is to provide a device of this class which will notrequire lubrication, which is very simple-and economical inconstruction, and which totally eliminates sliding friction, wherebythere is produced a bearin of carrying any weight at any speed with noadverse motion and no harmful effect between any of its parts or uponthe same as a whole, whereby the power needed to ropel the vehicle ormachinery is greatly re need, and nuts and shoulders upon the axle orshalfting and end friction may be dispensed wit 1.

With these objects in view my invention consists in the construction andcombinations of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawin s, Fi e 1 represents a cross-section of theliub o 'a vehicle, showing my improvement applied thereto. Fig. 2 showsan end view of the same, the end cap bein removed and the axle shown insection. i s.. 3 and 4 are detail views illustrating spec' 0 features ofconstruction. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of a modified form of myinvention, showing it as applied to a shaft-han er; and Figs. 6, 7, and8 illustrate details of t e bearing. I My invention is capable ofgeneral application in all instances wherein parts are caused to rotateupon an axle or wherein shafts are caused to rotate in stationaryjournals.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, a re resents a vehicle axle, on which ismounte a hub 1), pro vided with the usual spokes. The interior of thehub b is screw-threaded, and engaging with this screw-threaded portionis an externally-screw-threaded roller-casing, composed of two halves cand (1, similar in shape. These two parts are screwed into the hub untiltheir innered es meetor contact with the shoulders of t e primaryrollers, as shown in 4:, said edges being beveled ofi, so that theycapable I form an internal V-shaped annular groove, with whichprojections on the large or primary rollers engage. In assembling theparts the two halves of the roller-casing need not be screwed com letelyhome, but only near enough so that tii j ection and the groove willmeet, as shown in Fig. 4,"permitting easy and free operation and providmmeansfor adjustment in case,of wear an at the same time reventinglongitudinal movement of said ro lers. edges of theparts c and d are cutaway, as

The outer e shoulders of the proshown at e, forming spanner-holes forthe rece tion of a wrench. On each end of, the

ro ler-casing is a cap-nut, such as f, which is adapted to screw downagainst the hub b. The said end cap may, however, be secured upon orfastened to the hub, if desired, instead of the roller-casing. Adust-excluding washer or packing g, ofleather, felt, or other suitablematerial, is used with the cap-nut, through which the shaft a rojects,said dust-exclud ing washer or. pac ing to be held in position and equalcircular contact with the axle or shaft by either gluing or otherwisefastening the same to the cap-nut through which the axle or shaftprojects, by employing a metal,

wooden, or other hard-substanccd washer of a size suflicient to befitted within and be screwed or otherwise attached to the interior ofsaid cap-nut. The said cap-nuts each are to be provided at the outercircumference with two or more openings 2 of sufficient size and depthinto the rim of said nuts, so as to serve on a rounded cap-nut as theholder for a spanner in screwing the same into place, and at least oneof said openings may be extended with a smaller passage through the samerimof those cap-nuts having dust-excluding washers or packing for theintroduction of any lubricating-oil into the same, where it may beabsorbed and gradually apply ltself at the point of contact with axle orshaft, if desired, to reduce the friction and wear thereat, the saidoil-introducing assage to be closed by a screwlug 4, intro need at itsouter end within ans at the bottom of the spanner-opening, as shown inFig. 1. The cap-nuts also may be provided with the airholes in the formshown in Fig. 1 filled with some suitable porous material, which willpermit the passage of air into and to circulate through the bearings,changing the air sufficiently to maintain a normal and eventemperaturetherein, but excludingdust. This porous material is kept inplace by perforated the grooves k and Z.

screw ca s 5 or in any suitable manner. The outsidb end of thesescrew-caps 5 may be provided with half-circular scoop-like concave tipsor funnel-shaped air-catchers 6, so attached thereto and adjustablethereon and sufficiently projecting beyond the surface of the cap-nutthat when facing on one side in the direction of a revolving wheel andon the opposite side the reverse way an air-current is caused to coursethrough the bearing in the ratio of the number and resistance of thedust-washers placed in the air-holes and the power gained with the rateof speed attained, thus assuring and ever maintaining an even andnon-heating temperature within this bearing. Instead of the poroussubstance in the holes 3 there may be used as many rings as desired orwill go therein, upon which is stretched and secured silk cloth or othermaterial most suitable for most freely admitting the passage of airthrough, While excluding dust from the bearing. Spacing-washers may beused between said rings as found desirable. These aircatchers 6 may bearranged as shown on the drawings or located in any desired osition onthe cap-nuts f. Between the rol er-casing andthe axle a are a series oflar e or primary rollers'h, which contact with t e interior of theroller-casing and with the axle. Between the large or primary rollers hare a series of smaller or spacing rollers 11. These rollers 2' liebetween and just within the narrowest space separating the rollers h.The rollers 'L are kept in contact with the rollers h and free from theaxle by the rings 1', one located near each end of the rollers 41. Theserings may be either spri'n rings continuously expanding outwardIyagainst and keeping the said rollers j in firm contact with the primaryrollers, which is the preferable form, or solid rings, or in case Wherethe axle does not pass through the bearing a disk may be used. The axlea is provided with a V-shaped an nular groove 70, located in about thecenter of the roller-bearing and opposite to the groove 1-, formedbetween the two parts 0 and d .of the roller-casing. Each of the primaryrollers h is provided with a V-shaped circular projection m, which isadapted to fit within It does not exactly fit in said groove, however,the arrangement be ing such as shown in Fig. 4, so that all sidefriction and variations in speed are avoided and the greatestside-bearing strengthbeing given on said rollers. The spacing-rollers'i. are rovided with similar V-shaped grooves n, t ese grooves beingalso of greater depth than the projections m on the rollers h for thereasons given above, by which the same are held longitudinally in placewith the primary rollers. Each end of the spacing-rollers '0'. isprovided with a V-shaped annular groove 0, with which the spacing-ring7' engages. These rings 1' are preferably made square in cross-section,fitting within the groove 0 in the manner shown in Fig. 3, so as to haveno side play or friction in operative contact with the side rollers. Ifdesired, however, said rings may be constructed with V-shapedprojections, such as shown on the primary roller in Fig. 4, whichcontact and operate in the same way in the V-shaped depressions o in thespacing-rollers.

In Figs. 5 to 8 a modified form of my dewoe is shown, in which arevolving shaft is mounted in a stationary shaftehanger or bearing, towhich my invention is applied. p represents the hanger-casing supportedby a bracket g in the usual manner. Within this is mounted the annularroller-casing 1", made in two parts and rovided with the centralinternal V-shaped groove 8, already described. In the construction-shown in Fig. 5 the roller-casing 1" has a smooth outside and isslipped within the hanger-casing 1), being kept in place by pins t,which can pass into longitudinal slots in the roller-casing r. As

described in connection with Fig. 1, the two halves of the roller-casingshown in Fig. 5 are adjustable in relation to each other, suchadjustment being effected by screwing up the cap-nuts ac. To preventrattling and acting as a non-sounding board, a layer or casing u, ofrawhide or other suitable non-metallic substance, is placed between thecasings j) and r. The outer ends of the casing p are screwthreaded, asshown at w, and cap-nuts ac engage with this screw-threaded portion,completely closing the bearing, except where the shaft y passestherethrough. When the capnuts 21: are screwed home, the pins t, therollercasing 1', and the layer it are all held in their proper adjustedpositions. Each of the cap nuts 1; is provided with an internal groove2,

in which is located a strip of felt or other V dust-excluding material,which may be used interchangeably in place of the form shown in Fi 1 fordust exclusion. This stri sufficient y projects beyond the edges of t csaidcap-nuts so as to contact with the shaft, the cap-nuts a; nottouching the shaft. The rollers h, provided with the projections m, therings and the spacing-rollers '11, provided with the grooves n and 0,are similar to those already described in connection with Figs. 1 to 4.

In Figs. 1 and 5 I have shown different modifications; but I wish it tobe understood that the features can be alternately used in eitherconstruction. For example, the layer of non-metallic material, such asu, might be used in connection with the hub of a vehiclewheel, as shownin Fig. 1, or the screwthreaded construction, as shown in Fig. 1, couldbe used in connection with the shafthanger. In fact, my invention is ofgeneral application where two bodies rotate in contact with each other.

In order to utilize the non-metallic and IIO 9]; I, P non-soundingcasing used 1n F1 5 1n wheel construction shown in Fig. 1, purpose toemploy an extra detachable casing screwthreaded interiorly, so as toreceive the roller-casing, as in Fig. 1, and exterior to all of which Iplace said non-metallic casing,

holding all in place within the hub of the wheel by em loying the pinsand-screw-caps thereon in the manner set forth in Fig. 5, thus holdingthe combination in place in the hubs or wheels as securely as isaccomplished by the methods employed in Fig. 1. Furthermore, instead ofemploying the V-shaped rojection on the primary roller, as shown in ig.4, I may use a square projection, in which case thebearing would besimilar to that illustrated in Fig.3.

The parts of my device shown in Figs. 1 and2 are assembled and combinedas follows: The beveled end of one part of the roller-casing is insertedinto its inclosing casing from the vehicle end of the hub and screwedinto its position therein, its cap-nut is then screwed into placethereon, and the whole slipped over the axle past the s ace used forassembling the roller parts, fol owed by one of the su porting-rings Theprimary rollers are then grouped around the axle, with their projectionsfitting into their corresponding groove thereon and temporarily held inposition by rubber bands around the ends thereof, while thespacing-rollers are slipped into place between them upon their saidsupporting-rings. The beveled end of the other part'of theroller-casing'is thereupon pushed over the end of the axle and saidrollers until it comes into contact with said primaryroller projections.As assembled, the uncased end of the rollers is then introduced into theoutside part of the hub and the roller-casing screwed into the sameuntil the projections on that side of the primary roll- .ers meet thebeveled end of the roller-casing therein. The end cap-nut is thenscrewed into place, thus combining all into operative position. Thebearing may be partially or wholly disassembled by reversing thesesteps. The order of combining as described above can be as readilyreversed or changed, so as to meet the needs of construction of the ve--hicle or parts it is to serve.

The form and parts of mydevice shown in Figs. 5 to 8 are assembled andcombined in a similar manner to those shown in Fig. 1, modified tointroduce extra parts thereof and to meet the difference in applicationand environment of the bearing.

One of the especial and distinctive features of my invention is thedivided or halved roller-casing, as herein shown, which provides theprimary and additional means and advantages needed for easily andquickly assembling and introducing of the parts of any roller-bearinginto place in a hub of a wheel or shafting box and effectually combiningand holding of the same in their operative combination in a manner so asto do away entirely with the need and use of end nuts and shoulders u onthe axle or shaft and all friction cause by the means provided forkeeping the bearing in position thereon.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a roller-bearing, the combination of an inclosing casing, adivided roller-casing therein, the parts of said roller-casing beingannular groove, a shaft or axldprovided with a corresponding annulargroove, primary rollers, provided with projections, located between saidshaft or axle and said rollercasing, said projections entering into andcontacting wlth the edges of said grooves,

s acing-rollers lying between and just within t e narrowest spaceseparating said primary rollers, and means separate from said shaft andaxle forpressing out said spacing-rollers into contact with said primaryrollers, substantially as described.

2. In a roller-bearing, the combination of an inclosing casing, aroller-casing secured therein and composed of two parts, said partsbeing cut away at their meeting edge to form a groove, a shaft or axleprovided with a corresponding groove, large primary rollers contactingwith said shaft or axle and with said roller-casing, each provided witha projection ada ted to engage said grooves at their edges 0 y, andsmaller secondary or spacing rollers each rovided with a groovecorrespondin wit the grooves on the shaft or axle an the roller-casing,said spacing-rollers lying between and just within the narrowest spaceseparating the primary rollers, and a ring engaging each end of saidspacingrollers, said rings being disconnected from the rest of thebearing members, and said spacing-rollers contacting only with saidprimary rollers and said rings, substantially as described.

3. In a roller-bearing, the combination of an. inclosing casing, a shaftor axle therein provided with a V-shaped annular groove, a dividedroller-casing in said first-named casing provided with a V-shapedannular groove, primary rollers contacting with said shaft or axle andsaid roller-casing, each of said primary rollers being provided with aV-shaped projection adapted to fit within and contact with the edges ofthe grooves in said roller-casing, and said shaft or axle, but made at amore obtuse angle, spacing-rollers provided with V-shaped grooveslocated one in contact with each of two of said primary rollers, andlying between and just within the narrowest space separating saidprimary rollers, and means disconnected from the other parts of thebearing for holding said spacing-rollers inicontact with the primary cutaway at their meeting-point to form an with said roller-casing and saidshaft or axle,

each provided with a V-shaped projection adapted to enter into andcontact with the edges only of said grooves, but made at a more obtuseangle than saidgrooves, spacing-rollers located one in contact with eachof two adj acent primary rollers and lying between and just within thenarrowest space separating said primary rollers, and provided with a V-shaped central groove and with a V-shaped groove near each end, and aring separated from said shaft or axle contacting with the end of saidspacing-rollers and holding them in contact withsaid primary rollers,said spacingrollers contacting only with said rings and said primaryrollers, substantially as described.

5. In a roller-bearing, the combination of an inclosing casing, adivided roller-casing therein, the meeting edges of said roller-casingbeing cut away so as to provide an annular groove, a non-sounding casinglocated between said casings, the three casings being secured together,a shaft or axle provided with an annular groove, primary rollers eachprovided with aprojection fitting in the grooves in said shaft or axleand said rollercasing and contacting with the edges thereof only,spacing-rollers located one between two adjacent primar rollers andlying between and just Within the narrowest space separating saidprimary rollers, means separate from said shaft or axle for holding saidspacing-rollers in contact with said primary rollers, and end cap-nuts,substantially as described.

6. In a roller-bearing, the combination of an inclosing casing, adivided roller-casing therein, the meeting edges of said roller-casingbeing cut away so as to provide an annular groove, a non-sounding casinglocated between said casings, the three casings being secured together,ashaft or axle provided with an annular groove, primary rollers eachprovided with a projection fitting in the grooves in saidshaft or axleand said rollercasing, and contacting with the edges thereof only,spacing-rollers located one between two adjacent primary rollers, andlying between and just withm the narrowest space separating said rimaryrollers, means separate from said s aft or axle for holding saidspacing-rollers incontact with saidprimary rollers, cap-nuts anddust-excluding devices, substantially as described;

7. In a roller-bearing, the combination of an inclosing casingscrew-threaded at its outer ends, a non-sounding casing within saidfirst-named casing, and a divided rollercasing within said second-namedcasing, said roller casing being made in two parts, said parts havingtheir meeting edges beveled to form a V-shaped groove, pins for securingsaid three casings together, a shaft or axle provided with a V-shapedgroove, primary rollers contacting with said shaft or axle and saidroller-casing, each of said rollers being provided with a projectionadapted to engage within the groove in said shaft or axle and saidroller-casing, and contacting onl with the edges of said grooves, sacing-rol ers located one between two a 'acent primary rollers and lyingbetween an just within the narrowest space separating said rollers ringsseparate from said shaft or axle and holding said spacing-rollers incontact with said primary rollers, and cap-nuts adapted to screw ontothe ends of said first-named casing, substantially as described.

8. n a roller-bearing, the combination of an inclosing casingscrew-threaded at its outer ends, a non-metallic non-sounding cas ingwithin said firstnamed casing, a divided roller casing within saidsecond-named casing, said roller-casing being composed of two halves,the meeting edges of which are beveled off to form a V-shaped internalgroove, pins for securing said three casings together, a shaft or axleprovided with a- V-shaped annular groove, corresponding in location tothe groove on said rollercasing, primary rollers each provided withV-shaped rojections engaging within the grooves in the shaft or axle andthe roller-casing, contacting only with the edges of said grooves,spacing-rollers in contact with said primary rollers and located justwithin the narrowest portion of the space between said primary rollers,said spacing-rollers being each provided with a central V-shaped groove,to centrally engage the projections on the primary rollers, and with aV-shaped groove at each-end, rings engaging the grooves on each end ofsaid rollers, said rings contacting only with said spacingrollers, andcap-nuts with dust-excluding devices secured to said firstnamedeasing,substantially as described.

9. In a roller-bearing, the combination of a shaft or axle, a casing,primary rollers located between said shaft or axle and said casing andcontacting therewith, spacing-rollers lying between the }primary rollersandnearer the shaft or axle .t an the narrowest portion of the spaceseparating said primary rollers, said narrowest space beingless in widththan the diameter of each of the s acing-rollers, and means contactingonly with said acingrollers for pressing them out and olding them incontact with said primary rollers, substantially as described.

10. In a roller-bearing, the combination of an outside casing, an axleor shaft, and rollers, having centrally-locateddprojections thereon,with a two-part divide roller-casing composed of two hollow cylinders ofsimilar size and shape adapted to be secured within the outer casing,each half of said roller-casing having its meetin edge beveled off so asto form when assemIled in operative osition an interior groove, saidroller-casing eing of any desired length and externally contacting andengaging the whole length of each primary roller each way from theprojection thereon, substantially as described.

1 1. In a roller-bearing, the combination of an outer casing, a dividedroller-casing inclosed therein, the arts of said roller-casing formingwhen in tie operative position an annular groove, a shaft or axleprovided with a corresponding annular groove, primary rollers providedwith projections located between said shaft or axle and saidroller-casing, said projections entering into said grooves in saidroller-casing and in said shaft or axle,

respectively, spacing-rollers lying within the narrowest spaceseparating said primary rollers and said shaft or axle, and meansseparate from said shaft or axle for holding said spacing-rollers incontact with said primary roll ers, substantially as described.

12. In a roller-bearing, the combination of a shaft or axle, a casing,primary rollers located between said shaft or axle and said casing andcontacting with said casing and said shaft or axle, spacing-rollerslying between the primary rollers and located inside of the circlejoining the centers of the primary roll ers, and a ring surrounding saidshaft or axle and pressing said spacing-rollers outward into engagementwith said primary rollers, substantially as described.

an outer casin a two-part cylindrical roller- I casing adjusta letherein to form a circular groove, a shaft or axle provided with acorres onding groove, primary rollers provided wit circumferentialprojections engaging said groove in the casing and in the shaft or axle,spacing-rollers provided with a corresponding groove also engagin saidprojections of the primary rollers and lreeping separate said primaryrollers, each spacing-roller I having its axis inside of the planejoining the 5 axis of the two adjacent primary rollers, and eachspacing-roller being provided with grooves near its ends, andring-tracks surrounding and free from said shaft or axle and engagingsaid grooves in the ends of the 7 spacing-rollers pressing saidspacing-rollers outward into engagement with said primary rollers,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED E. PUTNAM.

\ Witnesses:

J. FRED. KELLEY, E. W. HOLMES.

